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A prominent judge previously charged with rape, intimidation and hiring a prostitute will not be prosecuted.

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Updated: 6:19 PM MDT Mar 12, 2014

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WEBVTT A ONCE POWERFUL AND PROMINENT JUDGE..PREVIOUSLY CHARGED WITH RAPE, INTIMIDATION AND HIRING A PROSTITUTE...WILL NOT BE PROSECUTED. THOSE CHARGES WERE DROPPED TO GIVE PROSECUTORS MORE TIME TO REVIEW THE CASE. FAST FORWARD THREE YEARS. TODAY, THE SANTA FE DISTRICT ATTORNEY DECIDED THE CASE AGAINST JUDGE PAT MURDOCH IS OVER. TARGET 7 INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER NANCY LAFLIN IS HERE WITH THE STORY YOU'LL SEE ONLY ON 7. FOR YEARS I HAVE BEEN ASKING ABOUT THE STATUS OF THIS CASE. IF FORMER JUDGE PAT MURDOCH'S NAME WILL BE CLEARED...OR IF THE SANTA FE DISTRICT ATTORNEY WILL EVER PROSECUTE HIM. TODAY...THE D.A. SAYS THE CASE IS OVER AND SHE WILL NOT PROSECUTE HIM. AND THE REASON..MIGHT SURPRISE YOU. IT WAS A CASE THAT SHOOK AND SHOCKED THE COMMUNITY. PAT MURDOCH..A LONGTIME, WELL RESPECTED DISTRICT COURT JUDGE. ARRESTED.. CHARGED WITIH CRMINAL SEXUAL PENETRATION, BRIBERY, INTIMIDATION OF A WITNESS..AND HIRING A PROSITUTE..SOMETHING THE JUDGE ADAMENTLY DENIED TO ALBUQUERQUE POLICE IN THIS INTERVIEW AFTER HIS ARREST IN 2011. THOSE CHARGES WERE DROPPED AND TO AVOID ANY COFLICT...THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN BERNALILLO COUNTY WHERE MURDOCH WORKED AS A JUDGE.....ASKED THE D.A. IN SANTA FE TO TAKE THE CASE.. SHE DID... FOR THREE YEARS..WE'VE BEEN ASKING D.A. SPENCH PACHECO IF MURDOCH WILL EVER BE PROSECUTED. TODAY..SHE MADE HER DECISION. "there won't be a prosecution. And why is that? The facts of the case don't support a prosecution." DISTRICT ATTORNEY SPENCE PACECO SAYS THE RAPE CHARGES AGAINST MURDOCH..THAT HE FORCED THE WOMAN TO HAVE ORAL SEX....WERE WEAK. DA "you really don't have strong evidence of a rape. WE ASKED HER ABOUT THE PROSTITUTION CHARGES.. SOT <FS <"D.A. You know normally up here...do don't prosecute prostition. that's not something we normally prosecte because we don't have much prostition up here that has come to our attention." D.A. SPENCE PACHECO SAYS PROSTITION IS A MISDEMEANOR..AND HER OFFICE FOCUSES ON FELONIES. WE'LL HAVE MORE ON THIS STORY...COMING UP TONIGHT AT TEN. JUDGE MURDOCH LEFT THE BENCH IN 2011 SHORTLY AFTER HIS ARREST. AT THE TIME, HE WAS THE SENIOR

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District Attorney will not prosecute former Judge Murdoch

A prominent judge previously charged with rape, intimidation and hiring a prostitute will not be prosecuted.